Aliya Explains Chess Variants: RACING KINGS
Get ready, get set, go! The aim of Racing Kings is to get your king to the 8th rank before your opponent does.
BY ALIYA SALDANHA-SURI
NYC LAB MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR COLLABORATIVE STUDIES
COACH AND COLUMNIST
Racing Kings chess variant is the sixth of fifteen variants in our special article series focusing on other chess playing games. Chess variants are one of the most enjoyable parts of chess. Whether you’re goofing off with your friends, playing by yourself on a computer, or even competing in a chess variant tournament. Chess variants offer many different ways to have fun playing chess and improve in different aspects of the game.
Chess.com
Racing Kings
How to win the game: The aim of the game is to get your king to the 8th rank before your opponent does. However, since white starts first, if black can get their king to the 8th rank right after white does, then the game is a draw.
Rules: In racing kings, the board is not set up like a regular chess board at all! Instead, both pieces start on the same ranks (the first and second) and mirror each other. The only other rule that differs from regular chess is that checks are NOT allowed. You are not allowed to play any move that would put your opponent in check or checkmate.